So after seeing Sebastian and Dark Helmut plotting at the back of the garage in practice one it made me wonder who they may be talking about to be part of the Red Bull team next season. So cast your vote on this one, If Sebastian Vettel is still at Red Bull in 2014 (and I don’t think that’s a certainty) who will be his team-mate?
7 days to vote. Bragging rights to those who get it spot on, those who get it wrong must be branded with the word Loser on their forehead for the duration of the 2014 season.
Your contenders are:
Kimi Raikkonen:
Someone asked me recently whether Kimi would have put up with what Vettel did to Webber at Malaysia. I answered that he would never have been in that situation in the first place as I doubt very much he’d have turned his engine down if the team asked him too anyways. If he had and Vettel had gone past him I’m dam sure he’d have turned it back up again and held his finger down on the Kers button. Would be the fans favourite, has big links with Red Bull and would be perfect for their brand, he’s even good mates with Mr Vettel but I think everyone would be clear that he would not be going to play second fiddle. I think the team may want him but Sebastian may not.
Sebastian Buemi:
The Moose has been part of the Red Bull set up for a long time now and is still putting all the work in as test driver. He’s looked steady, potentially quick, has F1 experience and you can be sure he’d tow the Red Bull line so he certainly has to be considered but he would hardly be setting the sponsors alight as an exciting figure. Also if Red Bull didn’t think he was good enough for Toro Rosso are they likely to put him in a seat in their A team?
Jean-Eric Vergne:
Old JEV had a funny old season in his debut year. Pretty damn awful in qualifying, flashes off speed in the race and somehow came finished in front of his teammate in the championship when he’d looked second best for most of it. He arrived as Red Bull’s new whizz kid and hasn’t delivered that yet however he has shown flashes of upping his game in the first two races in 2013 especially where the weather is concerned. Still has a long way to go to show he can beat the big boys but is that really what Red Bull are looking for? Maybe a young, kinda quick driver who has been bred through the Red Bull system and will play the role they want is what they are looking for.
Daniel Ricciardo:
I could just put see the above for this one only reverse last year. Has looked proper quick in quail sometimes but never seems to translate it to the race. Was announced by Eddie Jordan on his debut Grand Prix as a future world champion but no one has really seen that potential as of yet. Once again he could be the proper corporate choice but is he maybe a similar model to Webber?
Mark Webber:
Right now he’s mean, moody and unforgiven but by the end of the season will he have backed down and swallowed his pride in order to keep in the top drive. Red Bull have had a winning combination with the Vettel/Webber pairing for years now and by all accounts they’ve hated each other through the whole thing so whats changed? I guess Mark has to decided what his future is.
Felix Da Costa:
He’s Red Bull’s hot new kid on the block but they seem to come and go with the summer winds. Da Costa does have a stronger rep than most though and maybe just maybe if JEV and Ricciardo continue to average they might just say to hell with it and throw their kid in at the deep end.
Nico Hulkenberg:
Has already been touted as someone they have their eye on and who’s to blame them as in the second half of last year he finally started to look the real deal his potential had always promised he might be. His odd move to Sauber doesn’t seem to have slowed that down and in Malaysia he was over performing the car. Stick him in a Red Bull and who knows where he’d be, would be great for the brand name too. Thing is the Hulk is around to be second best and would be there to win. Anyone who saw him interviewed post Brazil 2011 where he’d just watched and angry Adrian Sutil rant regarding losing his seat to Hulkenberg despite just getting a well deserved 5th will remember Nico being asked whether he could of got the 5th place, Hulks answer? I’d have been 4th. Doesn’t sound like the words of someone ready to play second fiddle.
Nico Rosberg:
It’s a long shot but it’s a possibility. Has a great technical mind that would serve Red Bull well in the set up area, has a very sponsor friendly face and as we’ve seen is willing to play for the team. Add to that his has hats full of speed and experience and he would seem to be a very good option. Can they tempt him away from Mercedes though? Things seem to be very friendly between him, the team and Lewis so there would have to be a massive change for this to take place.
Felippe Massa:
If I’d have listed old Massa as an option last year you’d have all laughed in my face but right now he looks like a good bet, he’s back up to speed and we all know he’s perfectly willing to play the number 2 game. The whole Webber/Ferrari thing has been touted for a while now (send in the large Italian gentlemen!) so maybe they could do a straight swap? I’m Seb has always cast a jealous eye at Fernando’s wingman and with an added dash of quickness he has now he’d be a perfect shield.
Michael Schumacher:
Oh yes! The third comeback is on! You heard it here first! Yes I know its crazy but lets have a think here, Vettel and Schumie are proper pally with Michael already playing the teammate role in Brazil last year so why not bung him in the number 2 seat? Yes he’s lost some speed but even a reduced speed Schumacher is good enough to mix it up in a Red Bull and looks more than willing to be Vettel’s wingman. If you add to that the publicity and sponsors attaching his name to the Red Bull brand would bring then the idea does not seen as stupid as it sounds.
7 days to vote. Bragging rights to those who get it spot on, those who get it wrong must be branded with the word Loser on their forehead for the duration of the 2014 season.
Your contenders are:
Kimi Raikkonen:
Someone asked me recently whether Kimi would have put up with what Vettel did to Webber at Malaysia. I answered that he would never have been in that situation in the first place as I doubt very much he’d have turned his engine down if the team asked him too anyways. If he had and Vettel had gone past him I’m dam sure he’d have turned it back up again and held his finger down on the Kers button. Would be the fans favourite, has big links with Red Bull and would be perfect for their brand, he’s even good mates with Mr Vettel but I think everyone would be clear that he would not be going to play second fiddle. I think the team may want him but Sebastian may not.
Sebastian Buemi:
The Moose has been part of the Red Bull set up for a long time now and is still putting all the work in as test driver. He’s looked steady, potentially quick, has F1 experience and you can be sure he’d tow the Red Bull line so he certainly has to be considered but he would hardly be setting the sponsors alight as an exciting figure. Also if Red Bull didn’t think he was good enough for Toro Rosso are they likely to put him in a seat in their A team?
Jean-Eric Vergne:
Old JEV had a funny old season in his debut year. Pretty damn awful in qualifying, flashes off speed in the race and somehow came finished in front of his teammate in the championship when he’d looked second best for most of it. He arrived as Red Bull’s new whizz kid and hasn’t delivered that yet however he has shown flashes of upping his game in the first two races in 2013 especially where the weather is concerned. Still has a long way to go to show he can beat the big boys but is that really what Red Bull are looking for? Maybe a young, kinda quick driver who has been bred through the Red Bull system and will play the role they want is what they are looking for.
Daniel Ricciardo:
I could just put see the above for this one only reverse last year. Has looked proper quick in quail sometimes but never seems to translate it to the race. Was announced by Eddie Jordan on his debut Grand Prix as a future world champion but no one has really seen that potential as of yet. Once again he could be the proper corporate choice but is he maybe a similar model to Webber?
Mark Webber:
Right now he’s mean, moody and unforgiven but by the end of the season will he have backed down and swallowed his pride in order to keep in the top drive. Red Bull have had a winning combination with the Vettel/Webber pairing for years now and by all accounts they’ve hated each other through the whole thing so whats changed? I guess Mark has to decided what his future is.
Felix Da Costa:
He’s Red Bull’s hot new kid on the block but they seem to come and go with the summer winds. Da Costa does have a stronger rep than most though and maybe just maybe if JEV and Ricciardo continue to average they might just say to hell with it and throw their kid in at the deep end.
Nico Hulkenberg:
Has already been touted as someone they have their eye on and who’s to blame them as in the second half of last year he finally started to look the real deal his potential had always promised he might be. His odd move to Sauber doesn’t seem to have slowed that down and in Malaysia he was over performing the car. Stick him in a Red Bull and who knows where he’d be, would be great for the brand name too. Thing is the Hulk is around to be second best and would be there to win. Anyone who saw him interviewed post Brazil 2011 where he’d just watched and angry Adrian Sutil rant regarding losing his seat to Hulkenberg despite just getting a well deserved 5th will remember Nico being asked whether he could of got the 5th place, Hulks answer? I’d have been 4th. Doesn’t sound like the words of someone ready to play second fiddle.
Nico Rosberg:
It’s a long shot but it’s a possibility. Has a great technical mind that would serve Red Bull well in the set up area, has a very sponsor friendly face and as we’ve seen is willing to play for the team. Add to that his has hats full of speed and experience and he would seem to be a very good option. Can they tempt him away from Mercedes though? Things seem to be very friendly between him, the team and Lewis so there would have to be a massive change for this to take place.
Felippe Massa:
If I’d have listed old Massa as an option last year you’d have all laughed in my face but right now he looks like a good bet, he’s back up to speed and we all know he’s perfectly willing to play the number 2 game. The whole Webber/Ferrari thing has been touted for a while now (send in the large Italian gentlemen!) so maybe they could do a straight swap? I’m Seb has always cast a jealous eye at Fernando’s wingman and with an added dash of quickness he has now he’d be a perfect shield.
Michael Schumacher:
Oh yes! The third comeback is on! You heard it here first! Yes I know its crazy but lets have a think here, Vettel and Schumie are proper pally with Michael already playing the teammate role in Brazil last year so why not bung him in the number 2 seat? Yes he’s lost some speed but even a reduced speed Schumacher is good enough to mix it up in a Red Bull and looks more than willing to be Vettel’s wingman. If you add to that the publicity and sponsors attaching his name to the Red Bull brand would bring then the idea does not seen as stupid as it sounds.
